Carbon fiber parts, such as carbon/carbon parts (“C/C”) in the form of friction discs are commonly used for vehicle brake discs, including aircraft brake discs, automotive racing brake and clutch discs, and the like. C/C brake discs are especially useful in such applications because of the superior high temperature characteristics of C/C material. In particular, the C/C material used in C/C parts is a good conductor of heat and thus is able to dissipate heat away from the braking surfaces that is generated in response to braking. C/C material is also highly resistant to heat damage and is thus capable of sustaining friction between brake surfaces during severe braking, without a significant reduction in the friction coefficient or mechanical failure. However, limitations of traditional C/C material include the limited wear life of the C/C material and the tendency to oxidize at high temperatures.